Is this the best they could do? These are dirty!
Frost shrugged. Whath a ifferenth?
A fair point, I suppose. Glokta gave a long sigh, struggled up from his chair and leaned forwards to peer into Farrads mouth. And a sweet set he has, too. A pearly white complement. I suppose youd expect prize-winning teeth from a prize-winning dentist. Anything else would be a poor advertisement for his trade.
I applaud your cleanliness. Its a rare privilege to question a man who appreciates the importance of washing the mouth out. I cant say Ive ever seen a better set of teeth. Glokta tapped at them happily with the pliers. It seems a shame to tear them all out, just so that you can confess in ten minutes time instead of now, but there we are. He closed the jaws around the nearest tooth, worked his hand around the handles.
Gurlgh, gurgled Farrad. Glaigh!
Glokta pursed his lips, as though considering, then released the pliers. Let us give the good master one further chance to talk. Frost unscrewed the clamp and pulled it from Farrads mouth along with a string of drool. Is there something you wish to say?
I will sign! gasped Farrad, a long tear running down one cheek. God help me, I will sign!
And you will name two accomplices?
Whatever you wish please whatever you wish.
Excellent, said Glokta, as he watched the pen scratching against the paper of confession. Whos next?
Glokta heard the lock behind him rattle. He scowled as he turned his head, preparing to scream at his presumptuous visitor.
Your Eminence, he whispered, with barely concealed dismay, grimacing as he struggled to get up from his chair.
No need to rise, I do not have all day. Glokta found himself frozen in the most painful possible position, bent somewhere between sitting and standing, and had to sag back into his chair with little grace as Sult swept into the room, three of his huge Practicals looming silently in the doorway behind him. You may ask your freak of nature to leave us.
Frosts eyes narrowed, flickered over the other Practicals, then back to Sult. Very good, Practical Frost, said Glokta hastily. You may remove our prisoner.
The albino unlocked Farrads manacles and dragged the dentist from his chair with one white fist, hauled him gasping by his collar to the door at the back of the room and ripped back the bolt with his free hand. He gave one pink glare over his shoulder and Sult glared back. Then he slammed the door behind him.
His Eminence slid into the chair opposite Glokta. No doubt still warm from the sweating arse of the brave and righteous Master Farrad. He brushed some of the teeth from the table-top before him with the side of one gloved hand and sent them clicking onto the floor. And he could not have seemed to care less had they been breadcrumbs. There is a deadly conspiracy afoot within the Agriont. Have we made progress in unmasking it?
I have interviewed most of the Kantic prisoners, extracted a suitable number of confessions, there should not be
Sult gave an angry wave of his hand. Not that, halfwit. I refer to that bastard Marovia and his pawns, the so-called First of the Magi and our so-called King.
Even now, with the Gurkish knocking at the gates? Your Eminence, I had assumed the war would take precedence
You have not the wit to assume, sneered Sult. What evidence have you collected against Bayaz?
I stumbled upon something I shouldnt have at the University, then was almost drowned in my bath. So far nothing.
What of the parentage of King Jezal the First?
That avenue too appears a dead end. Or an avenue with my own death at the end, if my owners at Valint and Balk were to hear of it. And they hear of everything.
The Arch Lectors lips twisted. Then what the hell have you been doing lately?
For the last three days I have been busy tearing meaningless confessions from the mouths of innocent men, so that we could appear effective. When was I supposed to find time to bring down the state, precisely? I have been occupied with seeking Gurkish spies
Why do I never get anything from you but excuses? I have begun to wonder, since your effectiveness has so sharply declined, how you were able to keep Dagoska out of Gurkish hands so long. You must have needed a tremendous sum of money to strengthen the citys defences.
It took all of Gloktas self-control to prevent his eye from twitching straight out of his head. Still, now, you twitching jelly, or we are done. The Guild of Spicers were persuaded to contribute when their own livelihoods were on the line.
How uncharacteristically generous of them. Now that I think of it, I find the whole business of Dagoska has a strange flavour. It has always struck me as odd that you chose to dispose of Magister Eider so privately, rather than sending her back to me.
From very bad to an awful lot worse. A miscalculation on my part, your Eminence. I thought that I would spare you the trouble of
Disposing of traitors is no trouble for me. You know that. Angry creases spread out around Sults hard blue eyes. Could it be, after all we have been through together, you might take me for a fool?
Gloktas voice rasped uncomfortably in his dry throat. Absolutely not, Arch Lector. Merely a lethal megalomaniac. He knows. He knows that I am not entirely the dutiful slave. But how much does he know? And from whom did he learn it?
I gave you an impossible task, and so I have allowed you the benefit of the doubt. But your benefit will only last as long as your successes. I grow tired of putting the spur to you. If you do not solve my problems with our new King in the next two weeks, I will have Superior Goyle dig out the answers to my questions about Dagoska. I will have him dig them from your twisted flesh, if I must. Do I make myself clear?
As Visserine glass. Two weeks to find the answers, or fragments of a butchered corpse found floating by the docks. But if I even ask the questions, Valint and Balk will inform his Eminence of our arrangement and bloated by seawater, horribly mutilated, far beyond recognition. Alas for poor Superior Glokta. A comely and a well-loved man, but such bad luck. Wherever will he turn?
I understand, Arch Lector.
Then why ever are you still sitting here?
It was Ardee West herself who opened the door, a half-full wine glass in one hand. Ah! Superior Glokta, what a delightful surprise. Do come in!
You sound almost pleased to see me. A rare response indeed to my arrival.
Why wouldnt I be? She stepped graciously aside to allow him past. How many girls are lucky enough to have a torturer for a chaperone? Theres nothing like it for encouraging the suitors.
He hobbled over the threshold. Where is your maid?
She got herself all worked up about some Gurkish army or other, so I let her go. Went to her mother in Martenhorm.
And you are yourself ready to leave, I hope? He followed her into the warm living room, shutters and curtains closed, illuminated by the shifting glow from the coals on the fire.
In fact, I have decided to stay in the city.
Really? The tragic princess, pining in her empty castle? Abandoned by her faithless servants, wringing her helpless hands while her enemies surround the moat? Glokta snorted. Are you sure you fit the role?
Better than you fit that of the knight on the white charger, come to rescue the damsel with blade a-flashing. She looked him scornfully up and down. Id hoped for a hero with at least half his teeth.